2ND LEAD

SLA steps up minor clashes in Madu region

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 January 2008, 19:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army, that has suffered casualties in medium scale offensive operations in Mannaar, has stepped up minor clashes as Tigers have successfully utilized booby traps and sniper attacks to confronting large number of SLA troops engaged in offensive operations. On Monday, Six clashes were reported in Pa'ndivirichchaan and Chinna Pa'ndivirichchaan areas in Madu division of Mannaar district and two clashes were reported in Vi'laaththikku'lam area bordering the Vavuniyaa district, in addition to another clash in Paalamoaddai.

Meanwhile, informed military sources in Colombo said that dead soldiers, except officers, were being buried in Mannaar. The number of SLA soldiers losing legs in LTTE laid booby traps have increased, forcing SLA to transport only the wounded from the battle zone. Recently, a high ranking officer was killed in a heavy fighting with the Tigers in Paalaikkuzhi area. Tigers claimed that at least 35 troopers were killed in the clash. 75 were wounded. However, informed sources in Colombo put the death toll at sixty and more than 100 injured.

On Monday, six minor offensive thrusts by the SLA were reported in Pa'ndivirichchaan area between 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., according to LTTE's Operations Command in Mannaar.

Meanwhile, two separate clashes lasted for 20 minutes in Vi'laaththikku'lam Monday noon.

SLA troops and Tigers clashed from 11:10 a.m. till 12:45 p.m. in Paalamoaddai in Vavuniyaa district.